208 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



ing to be the Legislature of Victoria were so stinging that the Acting 

 Premier, Sir Bryan O'Loghlen, publicly notified that no information 

 would be given to that paper, while at the same time he placed at 

 the exclusive disposal of the journal supporting him all despatches 

 and cabled messages which he received from London during his 

 chief's negotiations. 



Needless to say that, except a very pleasant jaunt for the ambas- 

 sadors in dignified state at the public expense, no benefit accrued 

 from the mission. Mr. Berry's perfervid oratory stirred up some 

 little excitement and temporary applause in outside meetings which 

 he managed to get convened in London, whereat he justified his 

 dramatic action of Black Wednesday by half truths and whole sup- 

 pressions ; but his glibly persuasive utterances fell unresponsively 

 upon the ears of statesmen inured to debate and impressed with a 

 sense of responsibility. He even deceived himself into the belief 

 that he had made a favourable impression, and cabled out to Sir 

 Bryan that the embassy was a pronounced success. He failed 

 entirely in the attempt to get his views taken up in the House of 

 Commons, and early in May Sir M. . Hicks-Beach disposed of his 

 claims by outlining the decision of the Government as embodied in 

 a despatch he had addressed to the new Governor of Victoria, the 

 Marquis of Normanby. This put a very different construction on 

 the position from that which Sir Bryan O'Loghlen had led his 

 colleagues in Melbourne to expect. 



The despatch was absolutely conclusive. It declared that the 

 circumstances did not justify any Imperial legislation for the amend- 

 ment of the Constitution Act, such amendment being expressly 

 vested in the Colonial Legislature by the Act itself. Such an in- 

 tervention would involve an admission that the great Colony of 

 Victoria had been compelled to ask the Imperial Parliament to 

 resume a power which, desiring to promote her welfare, and believ- 

 ing in her capacity for self-government, the Imperial Government 

 had voluntarily surrendered ; the request being made because the 

 leaders of political parties, from a general want of the moderation 

 and sagacity essential to the success of constitutional government, 

 had failed to agree upon any compromise for enabling the business 

 of the Colonial Parliament to be carried on. There was & masterly 



